Andrew ‘Bam-Bam’ Parise
Having a two car Pro Mod team has its positive and negatives. For starters, one car is always the guinea pig (usually, my car) and the other is car is to be ‘just’ the race car. For the most part we test new products this way, but if you have been following our team you have seen that it has not worked out well for Dina’s car in most situations. We know that two cars are not the same, don’t like the same tune up, what we came to the conclusion is Dina’s car is just a ‘Beast’ , hence the nickname.
The ‘Beast’ has been one of the hardest cars to figure out, but with determination and hard work we are getting close to working it out. Being a driver I can only say, thank god it isn’t me in her car! Everybody says you are a good driver; you (I) make it look easy. The reason for that, is I have a car that will go down a mud road in a flood, so my driving skills look amazing. As for Dina, she has her hands full. You hear people say things like, she can’t drive, and she is green. When you are put to test because your race car doesn’t like to go straight you are along for the ride. I wouldn’t be able to handle a car like this nor would I want to. Trust me by this time I would have driven it off a cliff. But the determination that Dina has makes a lot of people work harder at fixing that ‘Beast’. So, the next time you have a comment to make, come on over and give it your best shot to take a ride in the ‘Beast’, it surely will change your mind.
Maintenance on two cars just means one thing, double duty. Between rounds we have to be very organized and know who is doing what task. It is very easy to get lost or forget something that will cost you the race. We not only check things twice, we triple check things. But every so often you will make a mistake as we all are human. You have to love the sport to be as crazy as we are. We always get the question, how do you maintain two cars? It is not easy, but at the same time it’s not hard. The hard part is keeping the funding coming in to maintain them. Here is where the fun is, I am very OCD with the cleanliness of the cars, truck and trailer. I wax every part on both cars after the cars come home from a race, clean the truck and trailer prior to a race and sometime before we get to the race. It takes me a couple days to clean one car. Most people think it is too much work or I am just crazy. It’s a bit of both but they always look new. I take pride in that.
To run two cars it takes a lot of dedication, passion, time and of course, funding. In life, people have choices to make and for us we decided to have three ‘ kids’; two Pro Mods and our dog Bella. While most are spending money on clothes, parties, college and kids’ stuff we are trying to keep our program going. At times you ask why, but at the same time you have to say why not. We are fortunate to able to race and provide excitement (to our fans) so let’s try our hardest to keep it going, right?
In our lives we make decisions that you live with for the rest of your life. Some bad decisions and some great ones ; in that time we create memories as well. For the most part we all want to keep the great memories and leave the bad decisions behind, yet learn from them. This year was the 21st anniversary of my Mother being gone and it doesn’t ever get easier. But the one thing that I will never forget is how she always looked at me and made me feel. Each day that goes by I remember the great memories and how I drove her nuts. A mother of three boys, me being the last and the worst but I know my mother wouldn’t have had it any other way. I learned how far I can push the envelope ‘til you had to pay the price. My mother taught me a lot of things and one thing she taught was never quit. To this day, I remember the day she passed .She fought and fought until everyone was there so she could say goodbye. I have learned to live with good and bad and look at things differently.
We all want to race and win, but if you go out every race and try your hardest the word losing doesn’t exist in your mind. I call it Motivation. So the next time some asks you why you didn’t win or says, “I can’t believe you Did Not Qualify”, say “Motivation got the best of us” and watch for the response. Remember, as long as you are HERE to say that; that is all that matters.
Andrew ‘Bam-Bam’